Roof hatch for railway cars



Oct. 8, 1946. r I AM I 2,408,733

ROOF HATCH FOR RAILWAY CAR-f4 Filed Aug. 4', 1944 Z'ShetS-Sheet 1 Oct. 8, 1946. A. CAMPBELL I ROOF HATCH FORQRAILWAY CARS I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 4. 1944 QMQ i llllllllllllll llm I m T n L lllll I I I i l I I IIIIH. AN N MN mm A. CAMPBELL RdOF HATCH FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Aug. 4, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 8, 1946 Argyle Campbell, Chicago, Ill. assi gnor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago,

' 111.;a'corporation-of Illinois Application Auguste, 1944, Serial 548,079

My invention relates to improvements in wa'ycars.

one er the objects or-my intense-n is't'o" pre- Vide a rdo'f'hatch structure which the jgiarts are arranged so thatthey are welded together, thus avoiding the use of ri'i ets" and theflaks incident thereto; j t f A further olpject'isto provide aiha tch structure in which the hatch cover is .fleii'ibly and resili- 'ritly' connected to the operating mechanism such manner that'the clamping or closing i-ressure on the 'cove'r will beuniforinly distributed ahd ediialize d' around the rim or seat of'th e hatch and 'thus'form an efie'ctiveseal for-the hatch opening.

A furthr object is to pmviae a roof hatch structure whihi's simple yet ruggedin construction'and rlatively'less costly to manufacture.

Other objects of my'invention will appear fr'om the"- following description and clainis in connec;

tibn with "the accompanying drawings which illustrate oneembodime'nt of the intention. H

"Referring to the drawings'Fig. l is a top plan new ofthehatch andcoyer operating mechanism in closdpositidn on the rooioi arailway car, a 'iiortion ofwhich is shown; Fig. 2 is an end ele- Vation'ofthe jhatch s'tiucture showninFig. 1, looking in a direction lengthwise of the car{ Fig. m a $e i eet a t e liile ofjli igl; showing the hat ch cover in fully open position; Fig. 4 "is a longitudinal section on the 6 claims.- (01.165437?) hatches particularly suapiedfror theroofs of railhead being flattened somewhat on its upper edge to broaden the area, of contact with the cover.

"The'cover' C is a'fiat pan-shaped structure, the downturned marginal flange 5 of which overlies I the marginal bead or seat of the hatch wall to prevent the entrance of water and dirt. The cover issuitably reinforced by a central longitudinal tile '6 on its underside, as shown more cieanyin Eig'sr2 and 3. h

'Ihe coveris ,hinged at one of its longitudinal sides so as to swing .from closed position to fully open position, as shown in Fig. 3, upon the roof of the car. In" the present structure thehinges compnseshaced parallel straps 1 which extend substantially acrossi' the up er side of the cover and are siecuredthe'reto by welding. At one side of the cover'thes'e straps extend beyond the margin or thecover and their ends areturned to form hinges '8 which are mounted upon. a hinge shaft '9. The hinge shaft is mounted in triangular shaped lugs, [0 which are secured by welding ll .to -thewertical and horizontal flanges l and'2 "of the. hatch. 1

The operating mechanism D for the cover bridges the, c0ver and atone side of the hatch is, hinged and at the oth'er's'ide is provided with a suitable handle l2 and locking means for securing the operating' mechanism in closed posi- .tion. The operating mechanism D is formed of angle members |'3, \the horizontal flanges M of which extend inwardly toward each other. These ofth'e'hatch'structure shown in Fig, 1.

in general a hatch A mounted on the roof B of the car ajco er'C, and the operating mechanism D fo the c ver- Y a y a v fhe hatch in the present-structure is generally of oval shape, and the hatch opening inthecar roof is bounded by the anglesmember havingan upright flange I which'forms the Wall of the hatch and having a horizontal flange -2-whieh overlies-the margin of the-roof and by -Which'the hatchis' securedby welding-to the-car roof; An inner angle'm'ember 3 surrounds *the open'in margin and its horizontal flange overlies the roof margin on the under side "thereof, and the ver 'lticaliflahg'e extends along theinnerside" 6f the hatch Wall These parts are all securedtdgether angle inieniber's atthe hinge side of the structure are spaced apart 'and their' downturned ends are 1providediwith hinge members It which are 'mounted on the shaft 9. 1 These angle members are convergedto a pointabove the center of the: cover Where their' inturned flanges l 4 meetjand' are welded together. At this central point, the angle members are continued in parallel for a short length. From this central point the vertical flanges of the angle members are converged toward the outerma'rgin of the cover so that they are spaced abart'a lesser distance. This is accomplished by tapering the inturned flanges l4 ,and abutting their edges which are welded together. 'The end portions 15 0f .the vertical flanges are? turned downwardly and the handle member I2 is secured between these downturned ends by means of rivets IS. The handle member 12" a depending :portiozr I'I' forming 'partofth'e ticking mechanism. This dependin arched upwardly above the central portion of the cover to provide room for the flexible or resilient connection between the operating mechanism and the cover.

spring 23 which is secured by Welding at its center portion to the under side of the parallel- 5 flange portion of the angle members D and which This flexiblecon'nection is pref erably in the form of an arched leaf or plate are extended longitudinally in both directions from this center portion to the spaced hinge strap 1 where its'endjs' 24 bearupon the hingestraps. Thus when the operating mechanism D is in its closed position, it yieldingly" applies pressure througlith'e medium of the spring 23 to the two points on the cover Where the ends of the spring bear upon the hinge strap 1. Since these points are located in the longitudinal axis of the cover and at equal distances from the'operating mechanism, the clamping pressure will be'uniformly distributed and equalized throughout the area or" the cover withthe result'that'the cover will be uniformly and evenly pressed against the rim 4' of the hatch. This flexible connection between the'opcrating mechanism (and the cover thus allows for any irregularities in manufacture and assembl 'of 'theip'arts and thus insures a uniformly tight joint throughout the contact of the cover with'the riinof the hatch. In order to pro:- vide slip'joints'between the end portions of the spring 23 and thecov'er to allow for'the variation in the lengthofthe spring due to 'its'flexin'g, the straps" 25 are bridged over'the ends" 2'4 ot'the spring and their ends 26 are welded to the hinge strapsl. M

The operating lever D has no other'conriecti'on,

except through the spring 23, with the cover through 'which pressure is applied to the cover. It isgnecessjary, however, toprovi'de a positive connection between the cover and the lever Dto raise the cover froiri'its closed position. fAt the handle end of'the operating mechanism, an "elongated loop member 2'1 is secured byweldin'g' to the upper side of the cover adjacent the margin thereof. Ihis loop member extends through slots 28 in the vertical fi'a'nges of'the angle'inembers l3 and thus provides a positive conn'ec'tion between the operating lever and the cover by which jthe'lever will positively and solidly lift the cover. Theloop member and the slots 28' are sufficiently large, however, to provide considerable play or lost motion so that the lever'does not actually bearupon the cover or apply pressure thereto at this point.

While I have herein described and claimed what I consider the preferred method of carrying out my invention,'the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate such changes as" fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

'l'claim'z' 1. 111 a' roof hatch of the class clescribed'fthe combinatiori' of a hatch wall defining a hatch operating "mechanism bridging the cover "and hinged at one side adjacent the cover hinge,

4 means at the other side of said operating mechanism for holding said operating mechanism in closed position, and a resilient means carried by said operating mechanism and bearing upon said cover to apply pressure to hold the cover upon its seat.

2. In a roof hatch of the class described, the combination of a hatch wail defining a hatch opening and having a seat on its upper margin,

-a pan-shaped cover hinged at one side on the hatch wall and adapted to be pressed upon said seat, an operating mechanism bridging tne cover and hinged at one side adjacent the cover hinge, means at the other side or said operating mechanismioriiolding said operating mechanism in closed position, and means for uniiormly pressing the cover upon its seat, comprising a spring member mounted upon said operating mecnamsm and bearing upon said cover in substantially the central portion thereof. 3. In a roof hatch ofthe class described, the combination of a hatch Wall defining a hatch opening and having a seat on its upper margin, a pan-shaped cover hinged atone side on the baton wall and adapted to be pressed upon said seat, an operating'mecnanism bridging the cover and hinged at one side adjacent the cover hinge, means at the other side of said operating mechanism for holding said operatingmecnanism in closed position, means for uniiorm ly pressing the cover upon its seat, comprising'a spring member mounted upon said operating mecnamsm and bearing upon said cover in substantially the centralportion'thereof, and a lost motion connection between the cover and the operating mech anism adjacent the margin of the cover.

4; In a roof hatch Ior railway cars, the combination of a hatch wall denmng a natch opening and having a seat On its upper margin, a hat pan-shaped cover hinged adlacent one side of the hatcn wail and adapted to be pressed upon said seat in closed position, an operating lever hinged at one end on the same axis as tne hinge or tnecover and extending over the cover'to' the opposite side thereof, means at said opposite end or said lever for holding the lever in-closed'positlon, and means i'orapplying pressure umiorm- 1y upon the cover and seat it on said seat, comprising a spring member carried upon said lever and disposed transversely oi' the lever, said spring being arranged with 'its end portions bearing upon the cover at separated points in :the longitudinal axis of the cover, and slipjoint connections between the end portions of saidspring and said covert 5. in a roof hatch for railway cars,-"the combination of a hatcn wall denning a hatch opening and having a seat on its upper margin, a hat pan-snaped cover hinged adjacent one side of means for applying pressure uniformly upon the cover and seat it on said seat, comprising a spring member carried upon saidlever and disposed transversely oi the lever, said spring being arranged with its end portions bearing upon the cover at separated points in the longitudinal axis of the cover, slip joint connections between the end portions of said spring and said cover, and

an elon eated lo'op' member secured to the cover ad acent the margin thereof on the side opposite said lever, said slots, and loop being sufiiciently large to provide sutficient play to prevent the lever applying pressure to the cover.

6. In a roof hatch for railway cars, the combination of a hatch wall defining a hatch opening and having a seat on its upper margin, a flat pan-shaped cover adapted to bepressed against said seat in the closed position of said cover and hinged adjacentone side of the hatch Wall, an operating lever hinged at one end adjacent the cover hinge, means at the opposite side of said hatch for holding the lever in closed position, said lever comprising angle members joined together .and extending across the cover and. being arched above the central portion of the cover, a leaf spring secured to the under side of said angle members at the arched portion thereof and having its ends yieldingly bearing on the cover at separated points in substantially the longitudinal axis of the cover, loop members secured to the cover and bridging the end portions of said spring to provide slip joint connections between the spring and the cover, and a lost motion connection between the cover and said operating lever adjacent the margin of the cover opposite the hinge thereof.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

